Game table



Feb. 25, 1936. W. J. TURNBULL.

GAME TABLE Filed Oct. 5, 1954 INVENTVOR WILLIAM c/AMES ERA/BULL A TTORNEYS Patented Feb. 25, 1936 UNITED STATES GAME TABLE William James Turnbull, West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Application October 3, 1934, Serial No. 746,745

4 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in game tables.

In curling, bowls and such like games the player swings his arm when holding the stone or ball and endeavours to bring it into contact with the playing surface when the arm is approximately parallel to his body. When playing upon a surface which is elevated above the level on which the player is standing, the stone or ball cannot effectively be played on the longitudinal centre line of the table if the table is of appreciable width and it is with the object of overcoming this difiiculty that this table is made.

The invention consists essentially of a substantially rectangular table having a protruding portion at one end of lesser width than the main portion, in which the axis of both portions are in alignment, as will be more fully described in the following specification and shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:-

Fig. 1 is a plan view of one end of the table showing the preferred gate.

Fig. 2 is a fractional sectional view of the table taken on the line 22 of Figure 1.

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view showing the method of operating the gates.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of one end of the table showing a modification of the gate.

Fig. 5 is a fractional section View taken on the line 55 of Figure 4.

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view showing the method of operating the modification of the gates.

In the drawing like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each figure.

The numeral 1 indicates a table having an oblong playing surface 2 which may be substantially proportionate to a curling rink. The table is provided along its sides and ends with cushions or guard rails 3 of suitable height to normally prevent the playing devices from getting beyond the confines of the surface 2. At one or both ends of the table a projecting portion 4 is formed, the surface of which is in the same plane as the playing surface, this portion is appreciably narrower than the table to provide a zone 5 on each side where the player can stand when making his shot, the portion 4 is disposed with its longitudinal axis in alignment with the longitudinal axis of the playing surface 2.

Where it is intended that all the play shall be from one end, one projecting portion only is required at the playing end and the guard rail 3 at the opposite end will continue from one side of the playing surface to the other.

A gap 6 is provided in the guard rails 3 at the ends of the table and hinged guard rail extensions or gates I and 1A are provided to close the gap.

The extensions 1 and 1A are connected together so that as the pair I is swung to close the gap at one end the other pair 1A is swung to open the gap at the other end, so that one projecting portion 4 forms a continuation of the playing surface and the guard rail extensions 1 or 1A close off the remote end of the table from the playing surface.

As shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, the hinging and operation of the gates is obtained by providing the fulcrum of each rail with a cable drum 8 and extending a cable 9 from one drum of the gate 7 around sheaves l0 mounted below the table to the drum of the other rail extension, thence under sheaves l l to one drum of the rail extension 7A, thence under sheaves l2 to the second drum of rail extension 1A and from thence under sheaves I3 back to the first drum. Obviously the cable will require to be secured to the drums 8 and means may be desirable to take up any slack in the cable. 25

In the modification shown in Figures 4, 5 and 6, the gates l and 1A are mounted upon vertical shafts M which are fitted at their lower ends with cranks l5 and connecting rods 16 extend from each crank of a pair of gates I to both cranks of U the opposite pair of gates 1A, so that as one of the gates l is moved to open, movement is imparted through the connecting rods IE to close the gates IA and through said rods on the closing of the gates 'lA to open the second of the pair of gates l as is indicated in the diagram shown in Figure 6.

In operating a curling game on a table a player stands at one end of the playing area 2 in one of the zones 5 to one side of a projecting portion 4, to the left if a right handed player, and the right if a left handed player. He arranges the adjacent gates 1 or 1A in open position, automatically closing the corresponding pair at the opposite end of the table, so that the guard rail at the remote end of the table is continuous from one side of the table to the other. He swings his stone with an under arm stroke in the usual way, lowering the stone to the projecting portion 4 as he swings and on I releasing the stone it passes through the adjacent gap 6 and onto the playing surface, by virtue of his position at the end of the table and to one side of the projecting portion 4, he is able to launch his stone along the longitudinal axis of 55 2 aosib'ss'i the table and so dispose his feet that perfect control of his shot can be obtained.

It will be obvious that other types of gate may be used, such for instance as a member slidably mounted to be drawn across the gap 6.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A game table comprising a substantially oblong playing surface, a projecting portion at opposite ends of the playing surface, a guard rail extending along both sides of the playing surface and from each corner to one side of a projecting portion, and means for closing off the projecting portions from the playing surface.

2. A game table comprising a substantially 1 oblong playing surface, a projecting portion at each end, and a guard rail surrounding the playing surface but terminating at each side of the projections to define gaps thereacross, a pair of gates for each gap, and means connecting said pairs whereby the opening of one closes the other.

3. A game table comprising a substantially oblong playing surface, a projecting portion at each end, and a guard rail surrounding the playing surface but terminating at each side of the projections to define gaps thereacross, a pair of gates for each gap, and means as one gate of a pair is moved for imparting. corresponding movement to the other gate of said pair.

4. A game table comprising a substantially oblong playing surface, a projecting portion at each end, and a guard rail surrounding the playing surface but terminating at each side of the projections to define gaps thereacross, a gate for each gap, and means connecting said gates whereby the opening of one closes the other.

WILLIAM JAMES TURNBULL. 

